Canadian Brooke Henderson bolted three shots clear with a second straight round of seven-under 64, putting her 11 shots clear of Lee (69) with two rounds to play at Evian Resort Golf Club.

Lee was 10 back halfway through her major breakthrough 12 months ago and kept herself within reach with a late flurry on Friday.

A birdie at the par-4 17th was followed by an eagle at the par-5 18th to drag herself up to three-under and tied for 30th with two rounds left to play.

She is three back of countrywoman Kemp who followed an opening round of two-under 69 with a four-under 67 on day two to be in a share of 16th.

Tied for 19th at Evian last year, Kemp is revelling in the picturesque setting and carrying forward the relaxed approach she enjoyed a last week’s Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational where she and Canadian Alena Sharp finished tied for 10th.

“It’s probably the most fun I’ve ever had on a golf course,” Kemp said of the two-person teams event.

“We had a top 10, and it was just crazy. It was so much fun. I wish we had more of those events. It was so, so cool.

“Just the confidence from that and how much fun I had last week, just trying to take it sort of a bit chill like I did last week coming off that.”

Like Lee, Kemp’s leaderboard position received a late boost courtesy of birdies at her two final holes, the par-3 eighth and par-5 ninth.

“Hit a really good 6-hybrid on eight, kind of like my 6-iron, to about 12 feet and rolled it in, which is nice,” said Kemp.

“Then nine I hit a really good lay up. I’m not long enough to get there. It’s a bit soft out there at the moment so laid up to about 85 and hit it to about seven feet and made it.

“I hit a lot of hybrids and I’m pretty good with my hybrids, so it fits my eye well. I like the speed of the greens.

“Then obviously the view. This town is just super cool. It’s got a bit of a chill vibe to it.”

An eagle at the par-5 15th was the highlight of Hannah Green’s round of three-under 68 that puts her in a tie for 42nd heading into the weekend.

Sydney’s Stephanie Kyriacou (70-71) also made the cut but Victorian Su Oh (73-74) failed to advance.

As the current generation fight for major glory seven-time major winner Karrie Webb has made a strong start to the Senior LPGA Championship in Kansas.

The only Aussie in the field, Webb opened with a round of three-under 69 to sit four shots back of American Lisa DePaulo.

At the Senior Open at Gleneagles Stuart Appleby is the best-placed Australian through two rounds.

Appleby’s round of three-under 67 puts him in a tie for 16th and five shots back of leader Darren Clarke, who is seeking to add the Senior Open title to his Open Championship victory at Royal St George’s in 2011.

The other Aussies to make the cut are John Senden (71, T21), Richard Green (T27, 72) and Peter O’Malley (T39, 69).

West Australian Jarryd Felton is tied for 24th at the DP World Tour’s Cazoo Classic and Cam Davis is tied for 15th heading into the weekend at the 3M Open on the PGA TOUR.